Water color was stained to pretty dingy. MASSIVE amounts of threadfin in the creeks and lots of gulls feeding on dying Shad. I feel like the bass are too.

I get that Shad struggle with cold water. I dont get why they are struggling with mid 40’s. I still have a lot to learn about fishing Shad kills. My preference is to run away to areas without dying Shad. I could not get away from the dying Shad yesterday.

I threw a lot of different stuff, but minimal to no response. I swung a couple times with odd stuff on Ned, but no sure thing looks. I swung a couple times when the Football Jig got heavy, but it was loaded with algae. I felt A rig plowing through Shad, but no bites. It’s a lot more fun throwing jerk bait when it gets a bite every now and again.

Wart and or RK bumped and ground through good stuff and every once in a while stuff felt “alive”. It was odd, but I eventually tail hooked a monster carp which explains the live feel. It was full grown and tested my gear pretty good for a long time. It Pulled the BassCat around which was interesting.

That was the only fish of the day. I am working up a serious animosity towards Fish in general and BSL bass in particular. I will get a lot of payback. I won’t slow up and I won’t quit until it gets dark or I catch 100 that day. I’m still going to catch and release most of them, but I’m going to try to sore mouth ALL of them.

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Shame all that rain wasn’t really much warmer than the lake already was- but then again since I’m at least a week, if not two out from getting down to fish, I’m not too torn up about Mother Nature taking her time on spring.

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In hindsight, any other choice would have been better. I could have tried Theodosia, or Tecumseh or Lake Norfolk. Guys are reporting warmer water and catching fish on Table Rock. I don’t understand warmer temps further North, but I will accept the data.

Im still trying to learn, if any one wants to offer suggestions on what I should have tried amongst the dying shad, I’m all ears.

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Shame all that rain wasn’t really much warmer than the lake already was- but then again since I’m at least a week, if not two out from getting down to fish, I’m not too torn up about Mother Nature taking her time on spring.

You’ll be Golden. It’s coming on. They will flood shallow when it starts.

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I fished the OMTT last weekend down there . Stayed within 5 miles of the dam for the practice day on Friday . We caught 6 fish with 4 of those being healthy keepers . 2 on the JB and 2 on the RK. These fish were all back in creeks , probably 3/4 of the way back water temp around 46.We did find some 50 degree water but not a bite out of it . Late Friday we decided to try some main lake current spots . With the dam releasing a lot of water we figured some fish might move up. The first stop we made payed of with a drum. This thing had a stomach on it that resembled a small melon. As much as I hate a drum bite when looking for bass this fish really clued us in. It was obvious this fish was there gourging on shad. After an intense battle with 10lb line it was netted and released. A quick retie and I fired the jerkbait back out and hooked another fish , this time it was the right kind. A hefty 3 lb largemouth with the same bulge in the stomach. That was the last cast made in practice before the event .

Saturday we were greeted with a break in the rain taking off from Bull Shaols Boat Dock we made a small run to where we found the fish late Friday . On the first pass on this 75 yard stretch of bank we had 3 in the box with one being a 3lb class fish . We turned the boat around and caught one more that was close to 4 lbs . And just like that the light turned off . We fished the same area for another 3 hrs finally picking up a chunk of a small mouth that was also pushing three . This fish came unhooked in the net . This was about 11:45 and the deluge of rain started . By 2:00 there was wind gusts over 30 mph and straight down lighting. I really Love tournament fishing and fishing in general but 3:00 could not come quick enough . Our best 5 weighed 13.5 lbs and landed is 2 ounces from the money which was disappointing, but it was a good finish especially for only getting 5 bites on the day . All on the jerkbait.